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As part of our paid partnership with Home Depot, they sent along several Milwaukee cordless power tools for review consideration – the new M12 Fuel brushless cut-off tool, and an M12 Rocket LED worklight.

First introduced at NPS18, the Milwaukee M12 Fuel cut-off tool (2522-20) is a compact 3″ saw that can cut metal, plastic, tile, drywall, cement board, or PVC, depending on the blade style.

It is also worth noting that it can cut ceramic or porcelain tiles wet or dry.

Following is an intro video we took at NPS18. (I promise, I’ll bring a tripod or image stabilization gear to NPS19.)

Here’s what I like about the Milwaukee M12 Fuel cut-off tool so far:

Great performance – fast-cutting

Optimized for one-handed use

Can use with out without the depth guide

Can be used with dust collection, and the accessory guard/adapter is included

Tool-free shoe attachment

Tool-free guard adjustment

Can work with (widely available) Dremel Saw-Max accessories

So far I’ve used it on metal tubing, a metal rod/shaft, 1/4″ threaded rod, and small PVC pipes.

One of the standout features is that you can use it in forward or reverse directions. That means that you can push OR pull the saw to make a cut, depending on the application and how you want to control the cut.

20,000 RPM

0.64″ cutting depth

8.9″ long x 4.7″ wide x 3.5″ height

Weighs 2.4 lbs with 4.0Ah XC battery

Although it only has a 0.64″ cutting depth, it does a great job with tubing that can be rotated through a cut, and the results are relatively (and surprisingly) straight, at least in my experience thus far.

Replacement consumables are now easily available.

Metal cut-off wheel (49-94-3000)

Carbide abrasive cutting wheel (49-94-3005)

Diamond tile cutting wheel (49-94-3010)

Price: $129 for the bare tool

The bare tool comes with the accessory guard and shoe, and one of each style of blade.

So far, I think the cut-off tool is a great addition to Milwaukee’s M12 cordless power tool line. Its small size makes it exceptionally comfortable and convenient for cutting smaller materials that can be awkward for larger tools. Plus, since it’s designed for one-hand operation, it allows you to use one hand to hold or position the material, while the other guides the tool.

I find it to be easier than using something like a die grinder, and it feels a little safer and more accurate too.

Milwaukee M12 Rocket LED Light

I am a big fan of Milwaukee’s M18 Rocket LED lights, and was gleeful to receive a test sample of the new M12 Rocket worklight.

Our electrician came over back in November, to add recessed lights in my office so that I could work more comfortably at evening and nighttime hours. They had to do some wire-routing in the attic. “Hey! I got just the thing,” and I ran to get a newly received Milwaukee M12 Rocket LED stand light.

Surprisingly, the legs met the cross-beams just perfectly. An M18 Rocket light might have been awkward in this space, given its larger footprint. The electricians carry Milwaukee Radius lights in their truck, and they might have been better even than the M12 Rocket. But it was raining and I figured I’d save them a trip outside.

I think this was the perfect example of places where the M12 Rocket light can shine. The M12 Rocket was placed near the stairs, and it lit up the work area without getting in the way. The M18 Rocket has a larger stance and would have gotten in the way or required careful positioning.

Plus, it was easier to carry up the pull-down stairs than the larger and heavier M18 light would have been.

I already had an M12 Rocket from Milwaukee that I had started testing, and so I sent the new M12 Rocket light off with the electricians for field testing. They mainly use M18 tools and accessories, and I thought it would be interesting to see what they thought of the M12 light.

Here’s a quick look at its pros and cons:

Pros

Very compact

Light and easily portable

Adjustable illumination angle

Works with M12 batteries

Cons

Height extension isn’t as good as on the M18 Rocket

Functionally, the M18 Rocket lights are more adjustable, as you have collar clamps to hold the extended lamp head in place where you want them. With the M12, you have to raise it all the way, and with enough force to engage the spring locks. If you don’t, it can slide back down (and being used to the M18 design, that bugs me a little). The M18 Rocket’s lamp head is easier and more adjustable to extend, but the M12 Rocket is smaller and more portable.

Personally, I think that the M12 Rocket is nicely balanced. It’s very compact in size, and less expensive than the M18 Rocket. There have to be compromises. The M12 Rocket light isn’t as bright as its higher-voltage siblings, but I think it’s bright enough.

Unexpectedly, but welcome, the M12 Rocket can also be powered by an AC extension cord. Milwaukee has been adding this functionality to a lot of their cordless LED lights, and I don’t hear anyone complaining. It’s a surprise because I don’t think I’ve seen this on any 12V-class cordless power tool brand LED worklights before.

I can absolutely recommend the Milwaukee M12 Rocket LED worklight.

1400 lumens on high, 700 lumens on low

45% smaller footprint than M18 Rocket tower lights

Collapses down to 31″

3 side handles

Extends to 5′ 8″

Weighs 6.65 lbs

Up to 10 hours runtime with 6.0Ah XC battery

Light head rotates 210° and pivots 270°

Impact-resistant design

The M12 Rocket LED light is bright, light, and despite that one niggle I can’t shake about its height extension, it seems perfect.

29 Comments

Maybe it’s just the way that I read the article but I can’t really tell WHAT the “compromised design” or the “one niggle” is with the M12 rocket light – is it the fact that the sections slide down more easily and don’t have clamps? Or the fact that it’s not as bright? The review seems to allude multiple times to the M12 being possibly inferior to the M18, but I think you’ve buried the lede as to what the inferiority is – even the only Con is “Not just a smaller version of the M18 Rocket” – what do you mean?

Great work and great review of the cut-off tool, I may have to get one of those!

Compared to the M18, the M12 is a little clunkier to raise and keep raised. It takes a little care and effort, especially in say an attic. I really wish that Milwaukee was able to use a collar-lock design as on the M18.

I just grabbed the M12 Rocket a week or two ago for a late-night project in a dimly-lit garage. Works great. I will say the mechanism for holding the light sections up is not-so-great. Pinched myself the first time extending it as you really need to be sure to extend it all the way to make sure it ‘clicks’ in place. I’d prefer a different design, but it’s not exactly a mistake I’m likely to make again.

I do wish this would charge a battery when plugged in. Dunno what it’d cost to add such a feature, but I’d gladly pay an extra couple bucks for it.

I LOVE the m12 rocket light WAY more than the m18 rocket light. For the reason that the m12 doesn’t have the clamps. It’s lighter and faster to use and WAY easier to move and takes up less space as well.
For the same amount of space i could have 2-m12 lights compared to the m18. The m12 has visually near the same lumens as the m18 and for the most part i don’t need the extra height.

I am interested in this m12 cutoff tool. I don’t have a immediate use or need but i can see where it would be helpful

“I don’t have a immediate use or need…” Hey Pete, grab it! Ya never know when you’ll need it but, when the need arises, you’ll have it to use and not worry about what you’ll use to complete the task at hand. Better to have than stop and run to get it.

I’ve read lots of glowing reviews on Milwaukee’s M12 fuel cutoff tool, seems like a real hit. I will be acquiring one very soon, I already have 2 M12 6Ah and 1 4Ah batteries so it would seem all I’m missing is my very own M12 Fuel cutoff tool!
I already have the latest M18 dual power Rocket light and love it, not sure the M12 has a purpose in my garage but it sure seems like a great option for those that need it. Great review as usual!
Did I hear you say you’re going to give that cut-off tool away? Pick me!!

Cutoff tool had been on my wish list for about a month or so. Love the M12 lineup. I am glad you mentioned the cutting depth as that makes a huge difference to me. Read a review that stated underpowered compared to an air cutoff tool or diegrinder so don’t expect it to replace one. I don’t use airtools that often so not a big deal for me. Current use a 4.5” grinder with a cutoff wheel but obviously a grinder has serious space issues so can’t be used in many applications. Will have to head on down to Home Depot and hold the M12 tool in my hand for a good examination of weight and size.

I can’t get over the idea that the cut off tool is for people with too much money. Take a grinder, make it so small and under powered it can only do a quarter of the work and call it a cut off tool. Just get a grinder. Seriously, unless you just have cash burning holes in your pants. Honestly, I read the review and the responses and reasons not to use a grinder are nonsense. A grinder is a one handed tool by the way, do it all the time.

That light looks awesome. I’ve stayed away from the m18 because of the size and silly price. The M12 looks pretty sweet. The price is still dumb, but what can you do?

Ooooh this is relevant to my needs… Advice please!!!
I need to cut some drywall in my house and do it as clean and dust free as possible. I’ve got both 12 and 18V Milwaukee tools, with Hitachi nailers. From what I’ve seen and read the Makita Drywall Cutter is awesome for mess-free drywall removal. I can see some potential from the 3″ cut off tool combined with a vacuum, but I haven’t see or heard anyone talk about how well this works, ideally compared to the Makita.

Does anyone have experience with both? I’d love to avoid a 3rd battery platform, but neither Hitachi or Milwaukee make anything like the Makita. Or maybe Hitachi does, but their Canadian distribution for their Cordless tools is abysmal.

Chalk line, score, snap. Absolute cleanest method. Adding a motor to the equation necessitates any, all, or some combination of the following; above par dust collection, open spaces, and respitory protection. It’s just one of those tasks that’s burdensome to tackle properly lol I’ve settled for tabling my board on the tailgate/saw horses, and making a cloud out of it with my 20v 6.5″. Cutting from upwind with a paper mask, of course.

I actually have a scoring tool. Works amazing! Doesn’t work for renos though. Or at work when I’m needing to add or relocate electrical stuff. The rotozip are quick but far too dirty. The Makita and maybe this cut off tool seem to be far better solutions for renovations.

I have the Makita XDS01Z Drywall Cutout Saw and its amazing but may be more of a specialized tool if you’re doing anything other than drywall/insulation work. I actually love that you can put in a snap-off blade if you want to instead of the drywall or light wood blade and with it I’ve been able to get razor sharp and clean lines cutting foam board.

I’m not sure to what degree you’re going to be using it for drywall or amount of it you’re going to be cutting if its going to payoff for the price. As I said its kinda a specialized tool and perhaps the Milwaukee can be used for other projects in the future that the Makita won’t be useful for so you may want to consider it in your decision. But for me I love it and its definitely saved a lot of time and made clean perfect results so no real regrets from me.

I got the M12 primarily for pipe/PVC cut off and and for cutting tile or notching it when it is too small for a tile saw. But I have used it for cutting access panels into drywall

With the depth stop on and a HEPA vac running it does OK, but not great, at keeping the dust down. It is is just the nature of something spinning that fast. More dust than a drill followed by jab saw, but this was a furred wall w/ XPS behind the furring strip, so couldn’t use a saw. In that case it worked perfectly to cut just the drywall, but still was a lot of dust.

I haven’t used the Makita cut-out saw, but from the videos it will do substantially better at dust collection for drywall cutouts. Of course that is the only thing it will do… so depends on how much work you are doing I guess.

If cutting the drywall to later install it score(with a blade knife) and snap there really is no other way.

If cutting into drywall that’s already on a wall or ceiling use a multitool with a drywall blade. It doesn’t make much dust and the dust just falls down (or into your shop vac) unlike any kind of circular saw blade cutting.

I bought the M12 Rocket for my dad and he (and I) love it. I really am envious now I’m going to have to buy one for myself lol.

One feature you forgot to mention about the M12 Rocket is that you can have it folded up in what I like to call “suitcase” mode (light pointed straight outward) and use it as a spot light hanging at your side like a suitcase which definitely increased the usefulness of it for us!

Some say use a grinder, it’s not a grinder. You can cut 2×4 with a sawzall but it’s not a circ saw……it’s a cut off tool and works great.
The rocket light is good. Definitely needs a locking collar., But other then that, awesome

I know, idk why people are mixing up with a full sized cordless grinder, those are two different tools… to me anyway. I just bought this new cut off tool and yet I do have a 4.5″ grinder. These two tools have their respected roles.

At first glance, it seems the new cut-off tool’s left-blade design puts right-handed users at a safety disadvantage. As a strongly-right-handed user, I would envision myself holding this tool in my right hand with my body on the unshielded side of the wheel. This means at minimum my arm will cross the plane of the wheel. A left-handed user would at least be shielded by the tool housing.

I’ve only ever used air-powered cut-off tools but they’ve all shared a common design: the wheel is perpendicular to the user’s grip so that if the wheel breaks the user’s body is not directly in the fragments’ flight path.

This is a safe product.
Wear gloves, safety glasses, ear protection.
Wear a face shield if you’d like.
If metal cut-off wheels break on you with regularity it’s likely because you’re not using the tool correctly.
Switch to an all purpose demo diamond blade.

I prefer the all purpose demo diamond blades to the metal cutoff wheels myself so there’s that.